Shane Beamer has been an assistant to his Hall of Fame father Frank at Virginia Tech (HokieSports.com photo)

There’s no clear consensus, at least publicly, as to a frontrunner for the vacant football coach position at East Carolina.

That doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of named candidates for the job

Multiple sources in Virginia have confirmed that Pirates’ athletic director Jeff Compher and Virginia Tech associate head coach Shane Beamer, the son of soon-to-be-retired Hokies coach Frank Beamer, have a mutual interest in one another. It is reported that the two met in Raleigh on Wednesday to discuss the job.

Published and broadcast reports have indicated that N.C. State offensive coordinator Matt Canada, former North Carolina interim leader and current James Madison coach Everett Withers and Northern Illinois’ Rod Carey are others that have all been contacted or interviewed, as well.

A wild card in the search came to light late Thursday evening when Fox Sports reported that former Michigan coach Brady Hoke has interviewed for the job. A Big Ten source confirmed that Hoke has, in fact, spoken with ECU, but was uncertain as to how serious the discussions have been or where they might be headed.

UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik

Then there’s UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, whose name has been frequently mentioned in connection with the ECU job. But according to several sources close to the football program in Chapel Hill, the Frank Broyles Award finalist is not actually a candidate to fill the opening created when Ruffin McNeill was unexpectedly fired last Friday.

Compher has kept his cards close to the vest throughout the week-long search, but has said he hopes to have a new coach in place sooner rather than later. It is believed that a hire could be made within the next 48 hours.

Beamer, 38, has no head coaching experience but has a strong pedigree because of his family name. In addition to coaching Virginia Tech’s running backs, he has also worked as an assistant at South Carolina and Mississippi State. It was recently announced that he would remain on the Hokies’ staff under new coach Justin Fuente.

Canada

Canada, 43, recently signed a three-year extension to stay at State. This season, his second with the Wolfpack, he directed an offense that ranked third in the ACC at 33.7 points per game. He has ties with Compher from his days as offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois under current State head coach Dave Doeren.

Like Canada, Carey also has close ties to Compher, who hired him to replace Doeren when the latter left for Raleigh in 2012. The 44-year-old has compiled a 33-11 record in his three seasons with the Huskies, including an 8-5 mark and Poinsettia Bowl bid this year.

Withers

Withers, 53, recently completed his second season at James Madison, where he has won nine games and advanced his team into the FCS playoffs each year. Withers also has experience as UNC’s interim coach, leading the Tar Heels to a 7-6 record and the Independence Bowl in 2011 under difficult circumstances amid an NCAA investigation.

Hoke, who currently is a radio co-host on Sirius/XM and lives in North Carolina, went 31-20 in four seasons at Michigan. Like many of the other coaches under consideration for the ECU job, he also has experience in the MAC, having spent six seasons at Ball State before moving on to San Diego State. His career record is only 78-70.